“★★★★”- Kam Williams, Newsblaze.com

“A sort of ‘An Inconvenient Truth’ for global economics…a powerful description of how Western policies since colonialism have subjugated Third World countries.”

-Charles Masters, The Hollywood Reporter

  CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED DOCUMENTARY

‘THE END OF POVERTY?’

Available on BLU-RAY May 24, 2011

LOS ANGELES (March 16, 2011) – This provocative documentary, which garnered national and international attention from educators, activists and humanitarians. THE END OF POVERTY?, narrated by Martin Sheen, has been screened by colleges, universities, and non-profit organizations across the nation and now, by popular be demand, it will be available on BLU-RAY nationwide on May 24, 2011.  The film, which was shot on four continents and invited to over 30 international film festivals, has generated both vehemence and tears during screenings and events as it touches on the inherent imbalance in our chosen economic system that finds the poor bailing out the rich. 

The film initially premiered at Critics’ Week during the Cannes Film Festival, then it was selected to screen twice at the United Nations and was therefore followed by a nationwide theatrical release with sold out shows. Critics have proclaimed: “…(it) should be required viewing by every politician in the world.”(Eric Monder, Film Journal International). The film also enjoyed an extensive theatrical run in Europe playing 13 consecutive weeks in Paris with distribution handled by Cargo Films, the production/distribution company of iconoclast filmmaker Jean-Jacques Beineix.

Filmed in the slums of Africa to the barrios of Latin America, The End of Poverty? explores how the true causes of poverty stem from actions taken during (and since) colonial times to perpetuate exploitation:  first by forcing people from their land and their access to natural resources, then through unfair trade, debt repayment and unjust taxes on labor and consumption.  This system was carefully built and then maintained with neo-colonial policies such as free market economics, resource monopolies and structural adjustment programs by the international financial institutions. 

The documentary features:  Nobel prize winners Amartya Sen and Joseph Stiglitz; expert authors Susan George (“Another World Is Possible If”), Eric Toussaint (“The World Bank: A Never Ending Coup d’Etat”), John Perkins (“Confessions of an Economic Hit Man”), Chalmers Johnson (“Nemesis: The Last Days of the America Republic”), as well as Brookings Institute fellow and author, William Easterly (“White Man’s Burden”) plus government ministers such as Bolivia’s Vice President Alvaro Garcia Linera, and leaders of social movements in Bolivia, Brazil, Venezuela, Kenya and Tanzania.

The film has been embraced by activists and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) worldwide for its ‘direct talk’ about the role of debt, free trade, and neo-liberal policies and poverty.  Groups including: Action Aid, Amnesty UK, ATTAC, CADTM, Global Call to Action against Poverty (GCAP), InterAction, Jubilee Debt Campaign, Make Poverty History, Share the World’s Resources (STWR), Tax Justice Network, Transnational Institute, and the UN Millennium Campaign have screened the films as part of their anti-poverty campaigns in the past year.

Synopsis:  Narrated by Martin Sheen, The End of Poverty? is a daring, thought-provoking and very timely documentary by award-winning filmmaker, Philippe Diaz, revealing that poverty is not an accident. It began with military conquest, slavery and colonization that resulted in the seizure of land, minerals and forced labor. Today, global poverty has reached new levels because of unfair debt, trade and tax policies — in other words, wealthy countries exploiting the weaknesses of poor, developing countries such that today 20% of the planet’s population uses 80% of its resources and consumes 30% more than the planet can regenerate.  (Produced & distributed by Cinema Libre Studio with the Robert Schalkenbach Foundation) www.theendofpoverty.com | Twitter | Facebook | Clips & Trailer | High Res DVD Art

A 398-page companion book, ‘Why Global Poverty?’ published by The Robert Schalkenbach Foundation with Cinema Libre Studio, provides extended, translated transcripts from over 75 experts and people living in poverty who are featured in the film as well as a substantive introduction to the film by the director, Philippe Diaz. (ISBN 978-0-911312-94-2, SRP; $20.00, available at cinemalibrestore.com and Amazon).

BLU-RAY DETAILS:

SRP: $29.95 | TRT: 104 minutes

PreBook: 4/12/11 | Street Date: 5/24/11

UPC: 881394111127 | Catalog: CLS 1111

Genre: Documentary

Languages: English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Swahili and local dialects with English subtitles

Bonus Features include: 

• SPEAKING FREELY, Volume 1 with JOHN PERKINS on Globalization
• Extended interview with Director Philippe Diaz
• ‘10 Steps to End Poverty Petition’
• ‘Changes in Venezuela’ (a look at Hugo Chávez’s reforms and the impact on the country’s poor)
• Extended Interviews w/ Experts Including: John Perkins: How Economic Hit Men Work; Heather Remoff: Colonialism and Monoculture in Africa; Joshua Farley: How Land Tax in Brazil Would Break Up Latifundia; Mason Gaffney: How U.S. Companies Gain Control of Land; HWO Okoth-Ogendo: On Private Property; Gitu wa Kahengeri: On the Results of Independence
• Stawi Youth & Adult Centre (Kenya) Profile

ABOUT CINEMA LIBRE: Cinema Libre Studio, a leader in distributing social issue documentaries and features by passionate filmmakers, is a haven for independent filmmakers offering a complete array of production and distribution resources. Headquartered in Los Angeles, the Cinema Libre team has released over one hundred films and is best known for releasing the award‐winning  films: OUTFOXED, UNCOVERED:THE WAR ON IRAQ, Participant Media’s ANGELS IN THE DUST, the Independent Spirit John Cassavetes Award Winner, CONVENTIONEERS, and  the Sundance Audience Award‐Winning FUEL. The company is currently releasing Oliver Stone’s documentary SOUTH OF THE BORDER with films from Haskell Wexler and Rachid Bouchareb slated for 2011 releases.   In 2011, Cinema Libre Studio is producing THE LAST DAYS OF KARL MARX in Algeria and Belgium as well as developing John Perkins’ best‐selling memoirs, CONFESSIONS OF AN ECONOMIC HIT MAN, into a major motion picture. For more information and updates, please visit: www.cinemalibrestudio.com | Updates | Facebook | Twitter | Affiliate Program

Press Contact: 

Cinema Libre Studio

press (at) cinemalibrestudio (dot) com

With Launch of DVD on June 22^nd, the FUEL team of Energy Experts

Began a National Dialogue on Solutions for the DeepWater Oil Spill

Events to Span from Los Angeles to New Orleans and Canada

__________________________________________________________________________

LOS ANGELES, CA (June 23, 2010) –   To coincide with the two month anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion that triggered the worst environmental disaster in American history and the June 22^nd DVD release of the Sundance Award winning documentary, FUEL, New Orleans native, filmmaker and alternative fuels activist, Josh Tickell has kicked off a week long campaign.  In the course of the next several days, multiple events will engage politicians, scientists, oil spill experts and activists such as Peter Fonda, Amy Smart and singer/songwriter Jason Mraz to elevate awareness and outline solutions to the oil spill.

Tickell grew up near Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in an area known as ‘cancer alley’ for having the highest cancer incidence in the United States due to the byproduct of the oil processing industry.  FUEL is the only film that investigates the influence that the oil industry has had on the region which provides the historical and political context for the current disaster. The film also tells of an oil spill in the region following Hurricane Katrina that was grossly underreported and has proven to be prescient: it features an animation of the Horizon Deepwater Oil Rig that collapsed as well as a former Chevron/Texaco oil executive detailing the hazards of deep water drilling in the Gulf.

Tickell, producer Rebecca Harrell Tickell and a team of established environmentalists will be organizing a series of high-profile events that span from Los Angeles to Canada with the focus on New Orleans:

Tuesday, June  22^nd (in Los Angeles):

• Press conference at Los Angeles City Hall yesterday with Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa to discuss his 30/10 transportation initiative and to declare “Get LA Off Oil Day” while showcasing the City’s alternative fuel vehicles. A Green Car Rally followed.
• The FUEL bus, a mobile museum of alternative fuel that runs on bio-diesel, departed Los Angeles for New Orleans yesterday and is filled with young activists.
• FUEL became available on DVD nationwide loaded with special features such as How To Make Fuel for Under $1.50 per gallon.

Saturday, June 26^th (in Los Angeles):

• Pacifica radio’s KPFK will screen FUEL with a discussion to follow with “The Green Cowboy,” S. David Freeman, energy guru with KPFK’s ‘Free Forum’ host Terrence McNally at the Warner Grand Theatre in San Pedro, CA. (Starts at 7:30pm, $15 at door, details here.)

Monday, June 28th (in New Orleans):

• Fonda, Smart and Mraz will join Tickell and spill clean up experts such as Dr. Randall von Wedel, developer of the Cytosol bioremediation process and others for a tour of the spill area organized by the Louisiana Environmental Action Network (LEAN) with participation of leaders from local organizations such as the Riverkeepers, Sierra Club and Global Green.

Monday, June 28th (in New Orleans) Continued:

• FUEL to screen for the first time in New Orleans followed by a community conversation on solutions to the oil spill at the Theatres at Canal Place (333 Canal, New Orleans, LA  70130, RSVP required at rsvp@thefuelfilm.com).  Hosted by Peter Fonda, the film starts at 7:00 pm, followed by a discussion with director Josh Tickell and producer Rebecca Harrell Tickell.

Tuesday, June 29th (in New Orleans):

• A strategic oil spill solutions think-tank, The Turning Point, lead by Synetics Group, on solutions to the oil spill with scientists, thought leaders and other notable activists. (From 9:00am – 2:00pm, interested parties must RSVP to thinktank@thefuelfilm.com.)
• 1100 Person March for Clean Energy – The peace march begins at 3:00pm at the steps near Café Du Monde and continues through the French Quarter culminating at 5:00pm in the Human Oil Spill demonstration in Jackson Square with an aerial art project by John Quigley.  (Participants encouraged to wear black and bring a sign.)

Friday, July 2nd – 8th:

• FUEL will premiere for the first time in Canadian theaters at The Bloor Cinema in Toronto.  Details at www.bloorcinema.com.

Updates will be available at: http://www.facebook.com/TheFuelFilm

DVD DETAILS:

Josh Tickell’s stirring, radical and multi-award winning FUEL is a powerful portrait of America’s overwhelming addiction to, and reliance on, oil.  The feature length documentary film features: Barbara Boxer, Richard Branson, Sheryl Crow, Larry David, John Paul DeJoria, Larry Hagman, Woody Harrelson, Jim Hightower, Robert Kennedy, Jr., Willie Nelson, Julia Roberts and Neil Young.

Fuel DVD

DVD Bonus features include: How To Get 150 MPG From Your Prius, Building A Green Bottom Line With John Paul DeJoria, How to Save Thousands Through Energy Efficiency, Sustainable BioDiesel with HeroBX, How To Make Fuel for Under $1.50 per gallon, and Filmmaker Commentary track.  (Street Date: 6/22/10 / $24.95 / 112 mins./ Documentary/Eco-Packaging). Distributed by Cinema Libre Studio.

The film was produced by Greg Reitman of Blue Water Entertainment, Chip Rosenbloom of Open Pictures, Daniel Assael and Rebecca Harrell Tickell.  FUEL is now available at DVD outlets nationwide that will include: Best Buy, Whole Foods, Barnes & Noble, Netflix, iTunes, Amazon, Cinema Libre Store and independent video stores (distribution in English-speaking Canada on July 27, 2010 by VSC).

For more information on FUEL as well as downloadable materials, visit www.thefuelfilm.com. Additional information can be found on Twitter and Facebook.

About Cinema Libre Studio:

Cinema Libre Studio is a haven for independent filmmakers with one-stop shopping for production and distribution. Headquartered in Los Angeles, the company has been a leader in distributing social issue and political documentaries.  More information at Cinema Libre Studio.

# # #

For Editors, Producers and Web Masters:
High Res DVD box art for FUEL can be downloaded here: http://www.cinemalibrestudio.com/clscatalog/2010/Fuel_3D_HR.jpg

Trailer is available to view/embed at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upTCSSkxlxE

To arrange an interview with director Josh Tickell or to request a screener for review or story consideration, CONTACT Corinne Bourdeau, corinne@360Degreecomm.net. 310-454-8933 / 310-454-2469

“A sort of ‘An Inconvenient Truth’ for global economics…a powerful description of how Western policies since colonialism have subjugated Third World countries.”
-Charles Masters, The Hollywood Reporter

The End of Poverty? is a daring, thought-provoking and very timely documentary by award-winning filmmaker, Philippe Diaz, revealing that poverty is not an accident. It began with military conquest, slavery and colonization that resulted in the seizure of land and other natural resources as well as in forced labor. Today, global poverty has reached new levels because of unfair debt, trade and tax policies — in other words, wealthy countries exploiting the weaknesses of poor, developing countries. image The End of Poverty? asks why today 20% of the planet’s population uses 80% of its resources and consumes 30% more than the planet can regenerate? Can we really end poverty under our current economic system? Think again.

Special features: Extended Interviews, Stawi Profile, Interview with Philippe Diaz, DVD-ROM Content

BUY IT NOW

The educational DVD is also available for educators, librarians, and other organizations. Find out more here.

Cliff Cobb joins us to share about his feature-length documentary “The End of Poverty?” which won critical acclaim at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival. The film will be opening at the Crest Theatre in Sacramento starting March 19^th.

Watch the video here: http://www.news10.net/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=77278

We will be updating our new program regularly, so sign up for our Educational and PPR mailing list and keep checking our new Educational and PPR section of the Cinema Libre Store for new titles.

For all the details on our new program, please see our Educational and PPR homepage with F.A.Q.‘s.

Documentary links talking-head arguments to real people

by Kerry Lengel – Feb. 4, 2010 08:10 AM
The Arizona Republic

Read here; http://www.azcentral.com/thingstodo/movies/articles/2010/02/04/20100204poverty0205.html

ADM Tries to Take Down Funny Davos Video; Big Business Has No Solutions; Now What?

• ADM video still available here, here, and (for download and reposting) here; page here
• Fake initiatives pages, with links to organizations seeking change on these issues
• More information about last week’s website and videos
• Contact: scurrilous@theyesmen.org, bportello@cinemalibrestudio.com

A legal complaint from agribusiness giant ADM has resulted in the removal from Youtube of a fake video of ADM’s CEO making over-honest pronouncements. (The video is still available here, here, and, for download and reposting, here.)

Last week, the filmmaking team behind The End of Poverty? partnered with the Yes Men to create a parallel, imaginary World Economic Forum in which world leaders came up with real solutions to poverty. The leaders seemed, in a < a href=”http://www.we-forum.org/en/events/AnnualMeeting2010/index.shtml“>series of videos, to be supporting a set of initiatives based on 10 Solutions to End Poverty, a petition for which the filmmakers are trying to get ten million signatures by the end of 2010.

Each of those initiatives pages has links to organizations that are fighting hard for change on these issues.

In contrast, the actual World Economic Forum ended Sunday with a profound lack of results, some seemingly satirical but all-too-real headlines (like Goldman Sachs’s Lloyd Blankfein’s rumoured $100 million bonus), and one fruitless complaint to Youtube.

“If we can bail out bankers to the tune of trillions of dollars, surely we can solve poverty, which will just take a few structural changes, plus a whole lot less money,” said Beth Portello, the producer of The End of Poverty?

“All the crises we’re facing are rooted in massive inequality and poverty,” says Philippe Diaz, the film’s director. “If these leaders really wanted to make a difference, they would work towards ending poverty, however uncomfortable that might be for business.”

“It’s easier to remove funny videos from Youtube,” added Portello.

###

The press release and links to videos can be viewed online at: http://theyesmen.org/adm

DETAILS:  The End of Poverty? is a critically-acclaimed feature length documentary narrated by Martin Sheen and directed by Philippe Diaz which is currently in theatrical release in New York (Cinema Village), Los Angeles (Laemmle Monica 4) and Phoenix (Harkins Valley Art) with more cities to follow.  It is produced and distributed by Cinema Libre Studio (www.cinemalibrestudio.com).

 CONTACT: press@cinemalibrestudio.com

Q&A’s with co-producer Matthew Stillman Fri. (2/5), Sat. (2/6)  and Sun. (2/7) following 7:20pm!!

Phoenix, Harkins Valley Art (509 S. Mill Ave.) – starts today (2/5) for one week run!
Showtimes Daily: 1:00pm, 3:30pm, 6:05pm, 8:25pm

Los Angeles, Laemmle’s Monica 4-Plex (1332 2nd Street) – This weekend only (2/6 & 2/7))
Showtimes: 11:00am on the 6th and 7th

THE END OF POVERTY returns to NYC at Cinema Village on Friday 1/29 and Los Angeles at Laemmle ‘s Monica this weekend. Starts 2/5 in Phoenix at Harkins Valley Art


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 28, 2010

Scurrilous Videos Besmirch, Enrage Forum, Leaders, World
Videos threaten very existence of WEF

• Close examination of fake website reveals outrageous, elaborate subterfuge
• Videos may be viewed here or downloaded
• Lefty filmmakers mainly to blame
• Contacts: scurrilous@theyesmen.org, info@theendofpoverty.com

In a series of diabolically stupid video manipulations, a cabal of anti-poverty filmmakers have performed an elaborate slander of the World Economic Forum, showing its “leading lights” taking a dramatic departure from the litany of meaningless pledges they usually make at the annual gathering in the Swiss resort town.

In response, WEF spokesperson Adrian Monck could barely contain himself. “The only defense to satire is common sense!” he sputtered, before racing back into the WEF war room to deal with the burgeoning crisis.

Fortunately for the WEF, few media outlets picked up on the WEF’s fantastic but fictional approach to world poverty (“World Leaders Pledge Strategy to End Poverty Now”). Instead, the media was dominated by coverage of a real WEF press release warning of “Over Regulation of the Financial Sector” (sic).

The forged videos showed eight of “leading lights of Davos” outlining a few clear strategies to end poverty.

The CEO of Archer Daniels Midland, the world’s largest agribusiness conglomerate, spoke of “agriculture’s role in today’s economic savagery, and the broader long-term issues of robbing whole groups for the greed of the food industry,” before calling for “universal justice and agriculture’s reform” via Food Sovereignty. “We want to undo the injuries of global capitalism,” added a much-improved “Klaus Schwab,” founder and executive chairman of the World Economic Forum.

“The source of our financial treasure was violence towards the colonies of the global South,” admitted “Queen Elizabeth II” most refreshingly, before pledging to sell her lands and use the proceeds to improve the lot of the world’s poor. “We have caused this disaster,” added “Prince Harry” with a stalwart giggle. “Nobody wants a catastrophe,” Canadian Prime Minister “Stephen Harper” chimed in most helpfully.

“Haiti was a house of cards that we built through a history of exploitative economic policies,” said a tired-looking “Bill Clinton.” Now we have a chance to rebuild a more independent society by ending exploitation, forgiving their debt and bringing back real sustainability.”

The perpetrators included a prominent film director, several Hollywood voice actors, at least one disaffected member of the World Economic Forum itself, and thirty-four of the Yes Men.

“Yes, these are real talking heads,” explained Robert Diaz Leroy, a Hollywood film producer who was one of those behind the action. Another co-conspirator, film director Philippe Diaz, went into greater detail.

“We did this out of frustration with the fact that each year in Davos, the wealthy and powerful figure out ways the global economy can continue to benefit them,” said Diaz, who directed The End of Poverty?, which opens this Friday in New York. “Even this year, they’re still talking about economic growth and de-regulation as the solution to poverty. That’s especially obscene in light of this year’s economic crisis, which resulted from those exact policies and has disproportionately affected the poor.”

Despite the WEF’s annual posturing, neoliberal policies have proven to be a massive failure for the vast majority of the poor, said Diaz. “When a disaster strikes a poor country like Haiti, our culpability becomes graphically clear.”

Diaz explained that growth has by and large benefited only the wealthiest fraction of the population. “Our economic system depends on the resources of the global South that we have plundered since 1492. Only the tools have changed: nowadays we rarely use guns or armies, we mainly use economic instruments. But the damage is just as real.” (See the fake press release for some real statistics to that effect.)

“What you won’t hear in Davos is anything about the structural factors at the root of global poverty,” said Beth Portello, who produced The End of Poverty?. “Poverty is created: it’s the byproduct of centuries of exploitation of human and natural resources maintained into modern times by unfair trade, tax and land policies, and odious debt.”

“Unlike the lip-service solutions from Davos, the proposals on our fake WEF site would actually end poverty,” said Diaz. “We’re going to do everything we can to make them happen. The film is just the beginning.”

“Poverty isn’t an accident, and it won’t end by accident, either,” added Portello.

In a dramatic bit of irony, it was revealed that the fake Queen Elizabeth II was played by boy actor James O’Keefe, who was recently arrested for feloniously attempting to tamper with the phone line of U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu, not long after being honored by House Republicans for his “ACORN pimp” role last year.

“Oh that queen,” said Andy Bichlbaum of the Yes Men. “Who knows what trouble she’ll get into next.”

***

The End of Poverty?, a film with some real solutions to global poverty, is currently playing in US theatres. If you happen to be in New York City this weekend, come meet Philippe and Beth at screenings this Friday (1/29), Saturday or Sunday matinee at Cinema Village in lower Manhattan. Phillipe, Beth and Andy are all available for interviews in NYC or by phone: conta ct press@cinemalibrestudio.com to arrange.